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IMAGE: An implantable piezoelectric nanofiber polymer membrane delivers precise amounts of drugs under mechanical force. view more
Credit: Jin Nam/UCR
A membrane made from threads of a polymer commonly used in vascular sutures can be loaded with therapeutic drugs and implanted in the body, where mechanical forces activate the polymer s electric potential and slowly release the drugs.
The novel system, developed by a group led by bioengineers at UC Riverside and published in
ACS Applied Bio Materials, overcomes the biggest limitations of conventional drug administration and some controlled release methods, and could improve treatment of cancer and other chronic diseases.